Together at Last
by Imaginone
Summary: Another Lily and James story, set during their seventh year at Hogwarts.


**Hi, I know I'm supposed to be working on my main story 'A Twist in Time' but this doesn't count, as I wrote this a little while ago. I thought something for you all to read while I'm putting the finishing touches to Chapter 10 of 'A Twist in Time'. **

**For now this will be a one short, but I may continue it in to a full story at a later date as I have already written a few scenes to go with it.**

Together At Last

(Another James and Lily story)

Lily was standing on the platform, accompanied by her parents who were saying goodbye to her before she departed for her seventh and final year at Hogwarts.

The large red steam engine was steaming waiting to depart, with over twenty carriages of students.

Lily felt in her element as she looked at the students around her, who where either running down the platform looking for their friends or saying last good-byes to their families.

Lily had found out two weeks beforehand that she had been made Head Girl. Her Head Girl badge was now pined to the left collar of her robes, as she was in Gryffindor; her badge was red accompanied with an embossed lion head with the words _Head Girl_ inscribed on top.

As Lily looked around she thought about all the students who would be in her and her fellow Head Boy's charge. Lily had a few ideas on who that Head might be, but knew that she most likely will not find out who he was till she was in the Heads compartments on the train.

Then a shout came from the middle of a crowd of students who were now heading towards the train as it blew its first warning whistle. Lily wasn't bothered; her trunk was already loaded into one of the carriages along with her Owl Narla, which she knew her friends would occupy later.

"Hey Evans!" The shout came again, breaking Lily out of her revelry. Lily's expression became fixed as she focused on the dark haired youth striding carefree towards her.

"Hi Evans! Good summer?" James Potter asked as he came up and stopped just a few feet in front of her.

"Potter" Lily replied with a nod (she was determined to start the year in a very good mood and James Potter was not going to ruin that – no matter what!

James could only smile, evidently happy by the fact that Lily had addressed him without having a curse thrown at him as she did so.

Lily looked at James, his hands were thrust in his jeans pockets and he was rocking back and forth on his heals as if delighted with himself.

"Evans, my sources tell me that you are our new Head Girl." James said with a knowing smile.

"Your sources are right Potter, I am, why does it concern you anyway if I'm Head Girl or not?" Lily asked slyly.

"It concerns me my dear Lily because I'm Head Boy!" James replied triumphantly.

Lily's stomach gave a strange flutter on hearing James call her Lily instead of Evans but ignored it as her eyes zeroed in on the identical Heads badge that was pined to James's collar as her own was, apart from James's badge had Head Boy inscribed on his.

"….and I wanted to see if it were true, not that I ever doubted that you wouldn't get the badge…" James was continuing as Lily processed this new bit of information. "Also I wanted to get to know my new partner in chief a little better."

Lily's eyes widened at that, since when did Potter, James Potter; take the time to know anyone "a little better" as he puts it.

Yes, sure he hadn't been as attention seeking during the last few months of last year, but really...did four months of relatively good behaviour counter act the five point six years of uncontrollable bad behaviour...?

"Anyway, I guess I'll see you on the train Evans" and with a smile and a wave he was gone...disappearing into the crowd. Not even giving Lily time to gather a response...she felt...disappointed.

After James had disappeared Lily turned back to her parents who stood to one side grinning.

"Don't even go there" Lily said embarrassed, holding up her hand to indicate he parents were not allowed to comment. However her dad didn't seem to be able to resist the opportunity.

"So that was Potter" her dad said thoughtfully "…the boy you keep going on about, he seems nice Lily, playful yes, arrogant maybe" he added at the look on his daughters face "but nice all the same" her father observed. Lily laughed, but only half-heartedly as her mind wounded back to James Potter who had been standing in front of her only a few minutes ago.

"Potter?...As in James Potter..." her mother caught on.

"You know Lily you should really give him more credit, you might be pleasantly surprised" Lily's father continued.

"He is obviously trying Lily dear" soothed her mother "and I can see what you, mean it isn't as if he doesn't have looks.

"Mum! That was in confidence" Lily all but shouted scanning the platform in case anyone might have heard or worst yet James Potter over hearing. "Really mum, I can handle James Potter" Lily said now trying to avoid this conversation any further.

Her parents could only give each other knowing looks trying not to laugh. They then turned back to their disgruntled daughter.

"Alright Lily, we'll layoff" her father said affectionately before taking his daughter into his arms for on last hug before she boarded the train.

"I love you dad" Lily whispered as she withdrew from her dad embrace and moved to hug her mum. "And mum, thanks for all your help this summer"

"That's what I'm here for Lily" her mum said happily, "something you'll understand when you have children of your own."

Lily smiled at her as she boarded the train and lent out the window when the door was firmly closed. "I'll write to you as often as I can" she promised them

"O don't worry about us, we know you are bound to be very busy now with your new extra duties" beamed her father, just remember to drop us a line if you need us.

"I will" Lily promised giving them one last wave and blowing them a kiss before disappearing down the carriage to the heads compartment.

_15 minutes later_

Lily was now at the front of the train entering the heads compartment and James Potter was already there sitting looking out of the window. He turned, naturally on hearing her enter and looked at her.

Lily had totally ignored the flutter of her stomach when she had first heard him call her name on the platform. Unfortunately out of habit Lily was always ready with a snappy retort.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lily breathed "You Head Boy...has Dumbledore finally lost his mind?"

"You know what Lily" James spoke thoughtfully "I do believe he has."

"I...what?" Lily was confused, James Potter had actually agreed with her.

"I said" James repeated himself in a serious tone. "I think Dumbledore has lost his mind. I mean...what processed him to think I would be any good at this."

James was now pacing the compartment back and forth. Lily could only stand in front of the now closed door staring.

"I'm not cut out to be Head Boy. Come on Lily what kind of example have I set for Hogwarts students over the past six years?"

James had now stopped pacing and was now standing in the middle of the carriage shaking his head. He then flopped down in one of the carriages booths looking exasperated.

Lily sighed. Looking at James, right now, well it brought feelings to her, feelings she thought she would never feel with James Potter in the same room as her, let alone those feelings concerning him.

She felt sorry for him. She wanted to comfort him to reassure him, so...god help her that is what she did. She comforted him and offered him reassurance. What surprised her most was that she believed every word she said.

Lily signed then she spoke in a very gentle voice "James listen"

James turned his head, shocked that Lily had called him by his first name. It made him glow inside as he continue to look at her, however still looking worried about what Dumbledore had let him in for.

"I didn't mean what I said. You will be a great Head Boy. I've seen you, when you didn't know I was there, just watching how you acted when I wasn't in the vicinity and you treat others as fairly as any decent Head Boy would"

When James didn't say anything Lily continued

"You've acted out, name one person who has gone through Hogwarts who hasn't acted out at one time or the other; even I've acted out James. I've broken the rules but I'm still here."

There was a pause then "Thank you Lily, I think hearing that from only you, could help me accept this right now" James whispered looking at his trainers.

Lily blushed.

"Right we have work to do before we talk to the prefects" James suddenly said jumping up, looking more like his old self.

Lily nodded and walked over to where James had taken a seat on the opposite side of the carriage as it had a table. Lily smile at him as she sat down opposite him, while James beamed back.

"Right Evans what have we got to do" James asked in a business like tone."

Lily smiled

"Perhaps giving the circumstances Potter you could call me Lily instead of Evans" Lily said lightly

"And perhaps Miss Lily you could call me James giving the circumstances " James said playfully

"That will be perfectly acceptable Mr James – Thank you" Lily replied lightly. There was a pause and then at the same time they both burst out laughing

"Right let's get this over and done with" Lily said once she had regained control of herself. James nodded.

For the next twenty minutes they went over prefect patrol time tables, prefect meetings, passwords and Hogsmead trips.

_45 minutes later in the Prefects carriage_

"...All right then I think that's it, before we leave however does anyone have any questions?" James asked confidently.

"I have a question" James turned and saw that it was a Slytherin prefect, by the looks of him, James judged him to be a fifth year.

"How come we've ended up with a mudblood as our Head Girl?" the Slytherin prefect asked slyly.

At that James; instead of losing his cool walked over to the youth pulling out his wand as he did so.

"James" Lily groaned softly underneath her breath from behind him "Please.."

James however acted as if he hadn't heard. When James reached the youth and pointed his wand at the youth's chest before he spoke in a calm voice.

"What's your name?" James asked

"Bulstrode, Eric Bulstrode" replied the Slytherin prefect, puffing his chest out at James.

"Well Eric, I see I'm going to have to teach you a few lessons in manners" James said, who was rather enjoying himself "…Let me see" James said as he pretended to pounder.

"Twenty points from Slytherin and detention every Saturday for the next two weeks."

There was an outcry from the Slytherin's. "You can't do that!" they shouted.

James smirked "I think you'll find I can. I'm Head boy"

"On what ground's?" Eric hissed

"Improper use of the English language and for insulting the school's Head Girl." James said who was trying not to let his emotions get the better of him. "And let me tell you now; if I ever! Ever! Hear you say that word again, or address anyone by that word, I will personally make life very difficult for you."

"O ye" sneered Bulstrode, trying to sound unaffected by James's threat "and how exactly will you go about doing that?"

"By appealing to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore that said status…" James pointed to the badge on Eric's robes. "…Is removed along with the possibility of suspension."

Eric Bulstrode's mouth actually dropped open and this time he didn't have a witty response.

"Now that's settled" James continued breathing slightly heavily "I want you patrolling in groups of two, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff can take the first shift, then Ravenclaw and Slyetherin, you're excused" and with that the prefects filed out one- by- one.

James did not move till the last student was out the door. Remus and Rosie one of Lily's best friends each gave James and Lily a small wave and smile as they left the compartment.

Lily couldn't help but smile back while James continued to stay rooted to his spot, not acknowledging his friend's wave and thumbs up.

When their compartment door was finally closed and James and Lily were left alone in the compartment; James turned on his heal and walked back into the heads carriage.

Lily followed a few moments later. She found, when entering the compartment James Potter standing in the middle of the carriage breathing heavily. As soon as he had heard Lily enter behind him, he turned and as soon as his eyes met hers his expression softened. Lily's stomach gave that strange flutter again -why though? She couldn't help thinking.

"I suppose you're going to tell me I went too far?" inquired James warily

Lily shook her head and smiled, disbelievingly

"I actually felt you handed the situation in a very professional manner, if not a bit too extreme, but it's our job to make sure none of the prefect abuse their powers and however much I may not like it, I do believe the only way to get through to them is by being harsh with the consequences from the beginning, hopefully making them think again about messing with authority.

James could only stare at Lily, before saying "Wow, if I didn't know any better Evan's, I'd say you just paid me a compliment" he then smiled and Lily couldn't help by smiling back.

They stood there just smiling at each other for a few more seconds before James realised what he was doing and broke his gaze shaking his head as he did so.

James then move to take a seat in one of the booths by the window to the right of the carriage, after a moment's pause Lily mimicked him and sat in the booth directly opposite him.

A brief pause then followed as James made himself more comfortable by stretching his legs out, taking up the entire seat; Lily did the same almost immediately leaning her head back against the window as she did so closing her eyes.

"Thank you James" Lily whispered gently, unaware that James's heart leapt with joy at the sound of his name on her lips without any trace of malice.

"You're welcome Lily" was all James managed to reply softly, without sounding slightly strained.

Lily smiled still with her eyes closed; maybe this wasn't going to be a bad year after all.


End file.
